Visible index



June 13, 1933. YAwMAN 1,913,824

VISIBLE INDEX Filed May 25, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m a/ i an mtouf I'I'ea er/Z/ 'aa/ma/z 351 @Wtovn Jp'ne 13, 1933. F. a. YAWMAN VISIBLE INDEX Filed May 25, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 uu l h Eli Patented June 13, 1933 STATES PA rENroFncg- "rrtnmsnucx G. YAWMAN, or noonEsTEmnEw Yonx, ASSIGNOR mo ROLAND l;

. rUaLoNG, or noormsrnn, new YORK VISIBLE INDEX Application filed May 25, 1931. SeriaI NO. 539,797.

This invention relates to card indexes and has for its principal object to provide movable retaining devices for the card holders whereby one oras many card holders as may be convenient, may be freed so as to permit their ready removal from the tray. The improved retaining devices normally overlie the ends of the card holders so as to holdthem positively in place in the tray and are re- 10 tractable" separately to free the ends of the card holders normally lying immediately therebeneath. I A further object of the invention'is to embody improved means in a tray of standardconstruction'so that the con- 5 ventional relationship between the cardholders and the tray is maintained. Still another object of the invention'is to PIOVldedIldlVldual retaining devices for'one or more card holders which shall be simple in construction and operable manually with the greatest conveni'e'nce when it is desired to remove the card holders'retained thereby. further object'of theinv'ention is to provide common means for maintaining the retaining devices in normal position while permitting indivldual actuation thereof. 7. I

.Inaccordance with the invention one end of each of the card holders is engaged'by a side flange on the tray, as is usual, while the other end is retained by a plate which is carried at theproximate-side of the tray and while normally overlying the said end of the card holder may be retracted to free it.

The invention will be described in greater .detail in connection with the embodimentillustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein: l t

Figure 1 is a view in plan of a tray embodying the improvements, parts being broken away in'the interest of clearness. U

'FigurefZis a view in longitudinal sectlon through-the tray shown in Figure 1 andtaken onthe planeindicated by the line 2 2 and looking in the, direction of the arrows.

Figure 3"is a viewin transverse section through the tray' shown in Figure 1 and takenon' the plane indicated by the lines 3 3 and'lookin'g in the'direction of the arrows.

Figure 4;, is a fragmentary view on an enlarged "scale of the underside "of the tray showing the relation thereto of the improved retaining devices. Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the planes indicated by the broken lines 5-5 of Figure 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a View similar to Figure 4 but looking at the topside of the tray.

Figures .7 and 8 are detailed views in section taken on the planes, indicated by the lines 7-7 and88, respectively, of Figure 6. Figure 9 is a View in perspective of one of the improved retaining plates.

The invention is not limited to the type V of tray or card holder employed since it may be embodied in any type of tray and used with any type of card holder which is to be positively retained within the tray;

The tray 0 is illustrated as having a side flange a fixed thereonf'under which rest the ends of the card holders 6 which fill the tray. At the other sidethe tray is formed with or carries rigidly a longitudinallyextending side'flange'a'fl, Overlying this side flange is a bar 0 which is adapted to reciprocate Ion-- gitudinally with respect to the flange (F. The bar 0 may be formed With'a downwardly flangec' in proximity to the edge of the flange a The flange a is formed with lon H gitudinally' extending slots a preferably adjacent its opposite ends. In these slots rest sleeves d which are secured fixedly to the bar c by screws 6 which extend through the bar and have retaining nuts 6" thereon. By this means the bar 0 may reciprocate longitudinally to the extent permitted by theslots a. Springs 7 are operatively interposed between the tray'and the sleeves d so as to maintain pressureonthe sleeves and the bar 0 to maintain the bar normally in one extreme posi tion with the sleeves d at the ends of the slots a?, respectively. The bar 0 can be moved against the action of these springs as will be understood, such movement being limited by engagement of the sleeves d with the other ends of the slots, respectively.

Interposed between the reciprocable bar a and the fixed flange a of the tray are a plu rality of plates 9 which may be of the'form H illustrated in Figure 9. These plates extend cardholders which it is intended to overlie.

For instance, there might be one plate for each card holder but this is unnecessary in practice it having been found that threeto five holders may be safely released at one time without danger of resulting displacement. of, the other card holders in'the tray. As shown in the drawings each plate g is of sufiicient lengthto overlie allorpart offour diiferentcard holders. 7 Each plate g has. at its rear edge an upstanding finger piece g which extends through a slot- 0 providedtherefor in the bar 0. By engaging this finger piece with the;- thumb the plate may be conveniently retracted to free the ends of the card holders normally retained thereby. 1

To guide the plate in its reciprocation it may be formed. with two downwardly extending'fianges 9 adjacent its rear edge which may rest in guide slots 0. provided therefor in the outer edge of the flange a of the tray- A depending flange 9 may be struck from the plate g and formed to engage the outer side wall of the tray a'in proximity to the inner edge of the flange a to limit positively the inward travel of the plate g, as 'will be understood from Figure This-flange oneach plate is received by a slot atprovided therefor within the flange (L217;

. 1 The bar 0 is used as a convenient common means for holding all of the plates 9 in their intended positions while permitting manual reciprocation thereof-forthe purpose of engaging .or releasing the card holders, respectively. Eachslot c in thebar c has one convex edge c .which is engaged by the finger piece 9 extending through the particular opening 0 In the illustrated .embodiment, considering. that the action of the springs f is to urge the bare downwardy as viewed in Figure 1, the convex edges 0? of the slots 0 will be formed at thetop of said slots. With all of the retainingplates g in normal position overlying the card holders the convex edges 0 will thus act as detents holding them against accidental displacement'under the influence of the springs f. If any one of the .platesg is retracted manually .it willbe constrained to move in a straight path by reason of the engagement of the lugs g with thes'lots a Accordingly, the finger piece g riding along the convex edge 0 will have thelefiiect "of movingthe bar 0 upwardly, as viewed in Figure ,1, still against the action of movement to .freethe card holders.

the springs f untilthe plate is fully retracted and having passed the peak of the convex edge 0 the bar 0 will be urged to its normal position by the springs f thereby retaining the particular plate 9 in retracted position. This momentary reciprocation of the'bar a when any one of'theplates gis thus retracted will not release the remaining bars but for more than a fraction of time so that the danger of their being accidentally displaced is an. When the bar completes its rapid reciprocation it will serve not only as a detent for all of the protruding plates but also for any one or, more plates whichmay have been retracted.

:The. operation of'thei device will appear clear from the description, given. The tray is essentially one-having longitudinally 're taining flanges 'a-long-i-tsoppositesides for the card. holders- The improvements permit the retraction ofa portion of one of these flanges, as it were, to free the ends of that number of card holdersv which that fraction of the flange overlies. The other card holders remain undisturbed. The freed card holders may be removed. The broadest aspect of the invention lies in this provision of a sectional retaining flange. The particular means for. obtaining this result maybe wide: ly changed by a skilled mechanic as may the associated elements for'securing thesections in, normal position while permitting their For instance, it is possible. that the retaining plates 9 might be hinged on the tray instead of being mounted to reciprocate. Theparticular construction involving the bar 0 the plates g and similar details may be chanigedgwithout departingifrom the spirit of'the invention and equivalent units substituted therefor. I

WhatIclaim is: V I 1. In a visible index cardtrayincombinationwith card holders mounted therein, a plurality of retaining elements each'for a predetermined number of holders, and movits able separately to release simultaneously all of the holders retained thereby. L

2. In'avisible index card tray in combina} tion with card holders therein, retaining devices for the holders comprising aplurality of elements each normally overlyingthe ends of a predetermined number of holders, and movable to free simultaneously all of such holders. 7, 1

3. In combination with. a visible index card tray and holders therein, a plurality of slidable plates mounted at one side-of the tray and normally overlying the proximate ends of the holders, means to mount-said plates on the tray for individual-reciprocation to free the ends of the holders which they overlie, and yielding means toretain said plates in their extreme positions of .reci-proca tion.. 1 j v 4. In a visible index card tray. in combinar tion with card holders mounted therein, a

plurality of plates mounted at one side of the tray and normally overlying the proximate ends of the holders, finger pieces carried with the plates for individualreciprocation thereof, a reciprocable bar mounted on the tray and having openings through which said finger pieces extend, means carried-with the bar and coacting with the finger pieces to hold the plates in their extreme positions of reciprocation, and spring means operatively engaged with the bar to hold it yieldingly against reciprocation upon retraction of any one of the plates.

5. In combination with a visible index card tray and card holders therein, a fixed retaining flange at one side of the tray overlying the ends of the holders, a plurality of plates mounted at the other side of the tray and normally overlying the proximate ends of the card holders with the inner edges of said plates in alignment, finger pieces on said plates, a reciprocable bar extending longitudinally of the tray and formed with openings through which said finger pieces extend, said openings having convex edges engaged with the finger pieces, respectively, springs engaged with the bar to lnalntain such en agement yieldingly, said plates being'in ividually reciprocable transversely of the bar, and means to guide theplates fixedlyin such transverse travel.

This specification signed this 15th day of May A. D. 1931.

' FREDERICK G. YAWMAN. 

